The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-11-17

W tuN nahhh4 w kfN w" ~%ss" NNAA
Tor your money than them there roses
John
"she wouldai think so. mother"
Then door shut. and Brady. who wa
half way down the stairs when these word
arrested him. turned aud went up sgair
With bis blood 90 fire. SO tbs WAS th,
hind vi faith with him This was ID,
man who was more WORTHY of Dolly thar
he was
He could bear John splashing the wa
Ter at the kitchen sink rs he made read
to 90 ont, bat Harmon bad no idea that 1
dark figure on the other side Of The way
vas ,ha, Of his rival. lie did no, motto,
how il crept after him, keeping him ID
sight; aud If there had been any doubt al
all 10 Brady's mind it was soor ended, fol
they were taking the direct route to
Dolly's home
II was lonely way; down side streets
and alleys, aud presently Siess saw sec-
onl dark figure on Harmon's side Of the
way. nov creeping stealthily after him.
He remembered then that this had been
pay day and that John most probably bad
bis weeks wages in bis pocket. but his
first impulse, which was to cry ont and
saru the other, died down.
Why should he interfere What busi-
nesss was 1t OF his il Johu should be MS
saulled aud robbed Was not the latter
stealing a march on him. carrying roses to
Dolly aud ingratiaiing himself when he
had promised to keep away. He bad q
momentlIy glimpse Of 40 upliftod arm,
carry lag something which looked like a
short club. He knew Instantly what it
was. He remembered an item which he
had read the week before Of an unknown
man who had been saudbagged on the
street aud killed outright by single blow.
He had not set this outlaw upon the track
OF John Harmon; he had nothing to do
bnt to hold his peace and il might be his
rival would be removed from his patti for.
ever.
1t was wicked thought, horrible
thought
"You haiut go to do nothing Steve
Brady; only keep quiet, whispered the
tempter.
But another inward voice, finer, stiler,
made itself heard
"Wher'd you be now il he'd done moth
ing when you hung down from that rotten
caves trough ? Did he keep quiet aud let
you drop out Of his way, or did he VEN
ture his life to save your'n ? This here's
murder you're nursin' in your heart,
Steve Brady, Are you ready to do mur-
der for any eirl-least wise for girl that
don't know her own mind well enough to
choose between the two Of you p
All this before the murderous blow fell.
II takes time to tell these thoughts OF bis,
but they all flashed through his mind in
The space of a breath. AS it fell, a wild,
,ar-splitting yell startled the assailant and
lssailed alike. John Harmon wheeled in
MS tracks, and the Blow grazing his cheek,
lad force to knock him down. He was
up again on the instant: up in time TO
latch Steve Brady as the rnifian flung him
fl, after the briefest struggle for Steve
was weak yet and no match for the hurley
7illisn whose flight be had tried to inter-
,ept to catch him and break the deadly
orce with which be was hurled head
irst against the wall.
That set to had the effect OF sending |
Steve back to his bed again. His head
roubled him and he raved about roses
md sand clubs and Dolly until one day
le found himself looking into Dolly's own
,lue, fearful eyes.
"Oh, you poor fellow !" she cried. "Oh,
o think yoa cared SO much for me But
low brave OF you to save him when you
we're so sick and jealous and all. You
eednt say a word for John Harmon told
ne everything; but the idea Of you be-.
ieving that I--that could like him the
,est."
dolly" muttered poor Steve, hardly
il he were really awake, "do you
mean that = you choose me y
"You, and you only murmured Dolly,
rho would have been vastly indignant
ad any one limited that honest John Har
lan was more worthy to be glorifed by
hat same heroic light with which abe
ad invested Steve. L
1t made no difference when Steve con- /
,ssed bis temptation to her afterward' (
Vhat woman will not forgive man who
rrs through loving her
Those roses were never intended for |
'olly, after all. They we're meant for a
Ime orange girl who WAS fast dying oil {
They we're the one bright /
pot 10 her ioyless life, aud that was the 1
nly pay night as long rs she lived on
hich John Harmon failed to take them
, her. a
He is Steves best friend, but he has |
ever found another Dolly. /